Main menu

Just another WordPress.com site

The World Is Flat (chapter 4 and 5)

In the beginning of chapter 4, Friedman talks about how the flattening of the world was foreshadowed in the text “Communist manifesto” by Karl Marx. Afterwards, Friedman didn’t go against the flattening of the world but in a way discussed some negative sides of the technology, internet and other main ingredients of the flattening world. Friedman seemed to favor it but at the same time talks about questioning these ingredients. Friedman questions if the free flow of information, outsourcing, etc are actually beneficial or they should stay in walls and barriers within ones country. He gave some examples that didn’t favor the idea of flattening. One example was him stating how real estate agents are no longer needed as much as before. Thanks to the “internet” about 77% of home shoppers now use online as a way to buy their property.

Another example he gave was the help of Indians in Indiana to upgrade the states computers, for cheap. One statement that Friedman gave to explain this scenario was “in a flat world, one person’s economic liberation could be another’s unemployment”. Friedman then gives examples on the countries who aren’t really considered loyal from the countries which they really belong when they go global. He mentioned companies like HP, which are American companies but unfortunately end up hurting most Americans instead of benefiting them by moving oversees. Towards the end of the chapter we see that Friedman actually favors flattening. A proof would be that he said he wants individuals and companies to “appreciate” flattening by understand the real nature of it. The real concept of the world going flat isn’t bad at all if it’s understood correctly.

In chapter 5 Friedman talks about mostly the positive sides of the flattening world. He gave examples that persuade readers to think more good than bad about the global playing field. One example he gave was if America and China were the only countries, and compared their success according to their population. Friedman also strongly emphasizes on the fact that Americans need to take the rise of China and India seriously. Chinese and Indians are taught excellent education and on top of that they are hard workers. Americans indeed are great in education but they need to become better than ever before to still be the key player in the global field. Chinese and Indians kids study day and night to become engineers and doctors. American kids need to step up better to stay in role in this competition and save their jobs from the outsiders before it’s too late!